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10 Ways to Lower High Blood Pressure Naturally

By Diane Hanson

You don’t have to rely on prescription medication to lower high blood pressure. High
Blood pressure (hypertension) can be effectively reduced through healthy eating and
lifestyle habits such as moderate exercise, gradual weight loss along with a few
simple stress management techniques.

What Helps Reduce High Blood Pressure Naturally Without Medication?

You can keep your weight down by increasing daily physical activity to burn more
calories while decreasing calorie consumption to balance energy requirement and expenditure.
Simply put, move more and eat less.

Besides pushing your blood pressure down, the other benefit you get when you shed
off excess pounds is, it also makes any blood pressure medicine you’re taking more
effective.

2. Physical activity.

Regular aerobic activity such as brisk walking for about 45 minutes, 4 to 5 times
a week will help lower hypertension. In fact, any type of exercise is good as long
as it allows you the opportunity to become more physically active and burn off excess
calories. For example, you can ride a stationary bike while watching your favorite
television show, or walk indoors at the mall, or gardening as a form of exercise.

Also, it is a good idea to pick an exercise that will hold your interest long so
that you won’t get bored with your workout and give up altogether.

However, if you have been sedentary for some time, try to start slow and build from
there. Sudden bursts of activity could actually do you more harm than good.

3. Increase your daily fiber intake.

You can do this by incorporating lots of fresh fruits and vegetable such as broccoli
into your daily diet. Try to aim for 21-25 grams of fiber per day if you are a woman,
and 30-38 grams for men.

Raspberries has nearly 8 grams of fiber per cup while a pear (with skin) provides
you with 5.5 grams. Whole grains, seeds and legumes are also high-fiber foods. You
can find almost 6 grams of fiber in a cup of cooked whole wheat spaghetti and canned
baked beans has about 10.4 grams per cup.

In addition, try to avoid fatty foods like cured meats and red meats as much as possible
since they may contain astonishingly high amounts of saturated fats. Instead, consume
lean protein – fish, chicken, turkey – more frequently, and remember to remove the
skin before eating. And to further reduce your fat intake, prepare your meals in
healthier ways. For example, steam or bake chicken rather than deep frying.

4. Consume less salt.

Most healthy adults need only between 1,500 and 2,400 milligrams (mg) of sodium a
day. But if you are older than 50 years old and have high blood pressure, or suffering
from chronic conditions such as heart disease, kidney disease or diabetes, you may
be more sensitive to sodium. In this case, aim for less than 1,500 mg of sodium a
day.

Use fresh herbs or spices, as substitute for salt, to enhance the natural flavors
of foods. Be creative and experiment with citrus and flavored vinegars, lemon, garlic,
or onions to add scrumptious flavor to your meals.

Some studies have shown a link between low potassium levels and high blood pressure,
and there is some evidence suggesting that potassium can lessen the effects of sodium
on blood pressure. So it may be worth your while to consume potassium-rich foods.

However, always consult your doctor about the potassium level that’s best for you.
This is because people with kidney disease may need to avoid both salt and potassium.
In addition to that, potassium supplements may react negatively with your medications.

6. Reduce your stress.

Unmanaged stress has a huge impact on your heart health. It can raise your blood
pressure and may contribute to the permanent condition of hypertension over time.
In the worst case scenario, chronic stress can even lead to a variety of health problems
including kidney failure, coronary heart disease, heart failure, and stroke.

You can reduce stress instantly through deep breathing exercise or do something that
makes you feel relaxed, such as taking a warm bath or listening to soothing music.
Gentle exercise like yoga, pilates as well as taichi reduces stress while calming
the mind.

7. Herbal remedies and supplements.

You might want to consider supplements such as garlic, fish oil or hawthorn since
they are reputed to control hypertension and they are very inexpensive.

8. Limit alcohol intake.

To reduce high blood pressure, you have to limit yourself to one drink (women) and
two (men). If you’re a heavy drinker, a sudden alcohol elimination can actually trigger
severe hypertension for several days. So do it under the supervision of your doctor
or taper off slowly, over one to two weeks.

9. Avoid tobacco and secondhand smoke.

Nicotine in tobacco products can raise your blood pressure by 10 mm Hg or more for
up to an hour after you smoke. Also, the chemicals in tobacco can damage your arteries
and cause water retention, both of which can raise your blood pressure.

Similar to alcohol, tobacco products can interfere with the effectiveness of your
blood pressure medications. Inhaling secondhand smoke also increases your risk of
high blood pressure and heart disease.

10. Getting enough sleep.

Another natural way to lower high blood pressure is make sure you have enough rest
every night. Try to get about 6 to 8 hours of restful sleep. Anything under 5 hours
a night can raise blood pressure.

If you have problems falling asleep, try some light stretches before bed, or have
a light bedtime snack (a small turkey sandwich, or a banana) and avoid drinking coffee
(or caffeinated beverages such as tea, cola) after lunch.

When you make these changes, you can lower high blood pressure without medicine in
no time, and reduce your risk of heart disease.

Under stress and have no time to relax? These stress relieving ideas are easy to
fit into busy schedules and make you feel better right away. Restores your body and
mind to a calmer, more relaxed state.